S Korean trade, diplomacy trending away from China - Asia Times

South Korea is reversing its dependence on China and boosting its multilateral ties with Washington and Tokyo. So far, Beijing appears uncertain of how to react, beyond calls for” assistance” and encouragement for Seoul to follow a non- aligned international policy.

A&nbsp, major measure&nbsp, of the effects of South Korea’s development in political arrangement is reflected in the change in South Korea’s trade relations: The United States became South Korea’s number one export destination in December 2023, surpassing China for the first time since 2004.

South Korea even experienced its first-ever bilateral trade deficit with China in 31 times, totaling US$ 18 billion. North Korean exports to China in 2023 dropped 20 % yr- on- time, to$ 124.8 billion, while imports from China dipped 8 % year- on- time, to$ 142.8 billion.

South Korea’s major conglomerates ‘ strong investment flows to the US have contributed to a rise in exports of South Korean cars, auto parts, and batteries. South Korea may have the distinction of being the only nation next to China for which China is not its number one trading partner if these trends continue.

Definitely affecting the bilateral relationship was &nbsp, the December 2023 announcement by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of its 3050 Strategy initiative&nbsp, designed to stabilize South Korea’s supply chains and reduce dependence on China to less than 50 % by 2030.

The trade ministry’s efforts to lessen its reliance on China in its supply chains reflect a deeper understanding of South Korea’s vulnerability to potential Chinese economic retaliation.

The expansion of geostrategic conflict is undoubtedly a factor in the reconfiguration of political and economic ties in Northeast Asia.

South Korea appears to be eroding from China’s geoeconomic circle as South Korean investment in the US strengthens the Yoon administration’s geopolitical choices.

In the meantime, China’s diplomatic relations with Seoul have sputtered, more as a result of multilateral discussions between the two nations than from any sense of strategic intent.

China and South Korea continued to engage in ministerial and working-level economic dialogues on issues like supply chain stability, export controls, and trade facilitation, but these exchanges did not produce the traction needed for substantive bilateral discussions.

Additionally, the bilateral and trilateral foreign ministerial meetings held in Busan between South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and his counterparts Wang Yi and Kamikawa Yoko failed to produce sufficient momentum to set a date for the resumption of the China-Japan-South Korea summitry.

Mixed signals

Han and Xi meet. Photo: Chinese government

Han Duck-soo, the prime minister of South Korea’s first foreign visit in more than four years, led to expectations that Xi Jinping would make his first trip to Seoul since 2014.

Han requested China’s support for South Korea’s bid to host the 2030 World Expo in Busan and for the Yoon administration’s “audacious initiative” toward North Korea.

Xi emphasized&nbsp, the importance of “friendly cooperation” and expressed hope that South Korea” will work with China in the same direction, ]and ] take policies and actions that can reflect the importance it attaches to the development of China- ROK relations…”

However, Liaoning University Professor Lü Chao stated&nbsp, in the&nbsp, Global Times&nbsp, that political tensions generated by President Yoon’s pro- US approach and statements regarding Taiwan had “become a significant barrier to revive the three- way cooperation mechanism” between China, Japan, and South Korea.

Another development that has an impact on the bilateral China-South Korea relationship was the announcement of a joint US-South Korea effort to combat disinformation.

The US Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Liz Allen’s visit to Seoul in December, which reflected South Korea’s concerns about false propaganda and global disinformation campaigns, was the occasion of the signing of the US- South Korea memorandum of understanding.

In light of reports that the Chinese Ministry of State Security ( MoS ) attempted to hack South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and hacked the Presidential Office’s computer network while Moon Jae was in office ( 2017- 22 ), the signing of the MOU is even more noteworthy.

Missed opportunities

National leaders have long had the opportunity to hold summit meetings at annual ASEAN and APEC meetings, such as those held by Yoon and Xi at the G20 Summit in Bali in November 2022. However, the APEC meeting in San Francisco in November 2023 only led to an exchange of greetings between Xi and Yoon.

Similar to how Xi’s willingness to travel to Seoul was demonstrated in his meeting with Han, South Korea’s efforts to host the first leader-level trilateral meeting with China and Japan failed to succeed in 2023.

On the eve of the ASEAN and G20 summits in early September, President Yoon and Premier Li Qiang had two quick encounters. Yoon expressed hope that the North Korean nuclear issue would not be an&nbsp, obstacle&nbsp, to improved China- South Korea relations. &nbsp, Premier Li emphasized&nbsp, the need to expand cooperation to” seek mutual benefit and win- win results”.

Chinese scholar Zhan Debin&nbsp, has laid out&nbsp, the obstacles to the realization of a trilateral summit in a&nbsp, Global Times&nbsp, column pointedly titled” South Needs to Prove Sincerity for China- Japan- SK Summit”. The article refutes the claim that South Korea will be able to win more respect from China because of its closer ties with the US and Japan, arguing that the country has instead weakened its “autonomy.”

Second, Zhan points to Yoon’s disavowal of the Moon- era” three nos and one restriction” understanding regarding THAAD missile defense and its disregard for Chinese “red lines” on Taiwan, the South China Sea, and Xinjiang. It would be better not to hold the meeting at all if South Korea is pushing for the China, Japan, and South Korea trilateral talks because of US instructions, according to Zhan.

Trying trilateral summitry

China took part in the trilateral senior officials ‘ meeting in Seoul in late September and meetings with ROK Foreign Minister Park Jin despite such rhetoric. Those meetings were accompanied by a more optimistic tone from the&nbsp, Global Times, emphasizing the unchanged framework of “gain from cooperation, lose from confrontation” stemming from economic interdependence, economic development, and close geographical and cultural ties.

However, &nbsp, Chinese commentators responded&nbsp, negatively to the virtual US- Japan- South Korea defense ministerial meeting in mid- November alongside the US- South Korea Security Consultative Meeting in Seoul.

Lu Chao, a professor at Liaoning University, suggested that increased American-Japan-South Korea military cooperation following the Camp David Summit contributed to a worsening of tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Additionally, Li Haidong of China Foreign Affairs University claimed that these ties would increase the tensions in Korea’s security situation.

On the heels of the trilateral China, Japan, and South Korea foreign ministers ‘ meeting in Busan at the end of November, Park Jin and Wang Yi met. The&nbsp, South Korean readout&nbsp, from the bilateral meeting emphasized joint efforts to strengthen mutual understanding, strengthen strategic communication, and contribute to regional and global peace and prosperity through economic cooperation, promotion of people- to- people exchanges, and restoring and normalizing cooperation among China, Japan, and South Korea.

The Chinese readout reported&nbsp, Wang’s description&nbsp, of changes in the international and regional landscapes and their impact on China- South Korea relations in greater detail. Wang argued that cooperation is the only way to create a mutually trustworthy and respectful relationship, noting that” China and the ROK are neighbors… and this objective fact will never change.”

Chinese and South Korean readouts of the trilateral meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa emphasized efforts to institutionalize cooperation through a trilateral leader-level summit as soon as possible and to deepen substantive trilateral cooperation.

In addition to the foreign ministerial meeting, the three countries&nbsp, successfully hosted&nbsp, the 16th trilateral health ministers ‘ meeting in early December, the first time the gathering had been held in four years.

Shifting regional orientation&nbsp,

It’s still to be seen how China responds to closer ties with Japan and South Korea, and whether China will rekindle a “win-win” relationship between the three nations, with a focus on Tokyo and Seoul demonstrating more strategic autonomy, or whether the Camp David Summit will put pressure on China to expand its influence in the area.

With Yoon in office until 2027, Seoul’s emphasis on closer trilateral cooperation with Washington and Tokyo, as well as on reducing dependency on China’s market, appears likely to continue. Beijing’s ties may have deteriorated significantly by then, even if a friendlier president has taken office, if Beijing does not take a more diplomatic stance toward the ROK.

Scott Snyder ( ssnyder@keia .org ) will assume the role of president of the Korea Economic Institute of America in Washington, DC, in April 2024 and is a senior advisor for Pacific Forum. See- Won Byun ( [email protected] ) is an assistant professor of international relations at San Francisco State University.

This article was originally published by Pacific Forum, and it is now available for resale with permission. The article summarizes the authors ‘ chapter in the January 2024 issue of Comparative Connections, which can be read in its entirety&nbsp, <a href="https://cc.pacforum.org/2024/01/a-subdued-environment-and-missed-opportunities/”>here.

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Japan drugmaker reports two more deaths in supplement scare

A Japanese company that makes dietary supplements is at the center of a growing health crisis reported on Thursday ( Mar 28 ) two additional deaths that might be related to the company’s tablets.

Three supplement companies, including” Beni Koji Choleste Support” and two others, were recently recalled by Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, all of which contain an ingredient known as red yeast rice, or “beni koji,” that is supposed to lower cholesterol.

Thursday’s news brings the total amount of deaths&nbsp, under investigation by the organization and health department to four, with more than 100 additional people hospitalised.

A grieving relatives informed us yesterday that a man using Choleste Support had passed away due to kidney disease, the manufacturer said in a statement on Thursday.

It added that it had been informed individually that a third user who had recently used Choleste Support had passed away.

In both of these situations, we are working to confirm the details and the causality. Nevertheless, we decided to make this report people from the viewpoint of swift disclosure”.

The Osaka-based business claims to have also provided dark bacteria rice to two Taiwanese businesses and about 50 different businesses in Japan.

In Japan, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical sells a wide range of health products that are promoted through television commercials.

Red yeast rice is cited in clinical studies as a potential solution to statins to lower high cholesterol, but it also warns of the possibility of organ damage based on its chemical makeup.

Additionally, numerous Chinese companies that used the beni ken provided by Kobayashi Pharmaceutical have made recall announcements in separate filings.

The afflicted products include several health tablets, as well as a grew- brown sparkling sake, &nbsp, salad dressing, bread and miso paste used in many classic dishes.

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Two more abusers at J-pop predator's company

Johnny Kitagara

The man in charge of making amends for the popular Japanese pop star’s victims of sexual abuse claims that the incident is bigger than was initially anticipated.

Noriyuki Higashiyama told the BBC he believes there were two more culprits at Johnny Kitagawa’s firm Johnny &amp, Associates.

He thinks that these people are still alive.

Since a 2023 BBC research, roughly 1, 000 people have come forth to claim they were abused by Kitagawa.

Higashiyama told the BBC that an internal investigation by the original business in August of that year had revealed that two Johnny &amp, Associates employees were alleged to possess sexually abused skills.

He revealed that, to date, he has no contacted the government.

” From a legal standpoint, I do n’t think we have the authority to do that”, Higashiyama says. ” But if those involved file a judicial issue, I imagine we had co- work as much as possible”.

He claims that he is unsure whether the two offenders ‘ individuals want to file criminal charges.

” I do n’t even know who they are”, he says.

Mobeen and Noriyuki Higashiyama

Johnny Kitagawa, father of the Chinese child group trend, died in 2019. At the time, he was celebrated for his commitment to the government’s pop culture.

An independent investigation came to light following the BBC documentary, and it was determined that the song magnate had abused hundreds of boys and young men over the course of his six-decade career.

A fresh skills company called Starto Entertainment and Smile- Up, a business tasked with processing allegations of abuse, was established after Johnny &amp, Associates was disbanded.

Three former judges were chosen to serve on a target pleasure committee to oversee the payment process.

Higashiyama, a previous professional and Johnny &amp, Associates skills, took on the job as Smile- Up’s CEO. He has already been accused of physical abuse and harassment, which he denies.

Victims of Kitagawa’s abuse have criticized Smile- Up for having an opaque payment system and failing to act fast enough to speak with them. They claim that there is no known timetable and that it appears to be an ad-hoc system.

Akimasa Nihongi, a previous employee of Johnny &amp, Associates, started the business as a 13-year-old with the goal of becoming a pop star.

When he learned the story that was published in 2023, he exposed his own maltreatment knowledge.

” I feel like there are also problems that are hidden”, he says.

Akimasa joined Johnny & Associates when he was 13 years old

There is little sense of righteousness for Akimasa and many others like him. A attorney representing survivors of Kitagawa’s abuse described Giggle- Up’s method as” a dark- box situation”.

Smile- Up has itself cast fear on some of the claims. Days after being established, the organization issued a statement stating:” We have received knowledge that there are cases where people, who are most likely not subjects, are telling false reports using the testimony of true patients.”

Some of the individuals who shared their experiences have experienced online abuse and criticism.

When he shared his story of abuse by Kitagawa, his wife claimed that he was subjected to dying threats and harassment.

” He wanted to reveal everything”, she says. He allegedly did n’t want any more victims of the same kind to happen to future children.

After he spoke out, his private details were exposed electronically.

The woman later learned that her husband had left for the hills via text message. He put an end to his existence it.

” When I found him, it was too late”, she says.

Noriyuki Higashiyama, the CEO of Smile- Up, claims he is aware of this situation.

” Citizens have flexibility of speech”, he says. ” I’m not encouraging libel. If it’s feasible, I would really like to reduce website abuse”.

BBC iPlayer

Mobeen Azhar investigates the effects of a monster after the BBC revealed Johnny Kitagawa, the uncle of J-pop, sexually abused adolescent boys in his skill agency for the first time.

Watch on BBC News on Saturday, March 30 at 03:30, or later on BBC iPlayer ( UK Only ).

BBC iPlayer

Higashiyama claims to have spoken with about 200 people who have come forth with abuse allegations.

” I hope it will help to restore their souls, yet just a little. That is what I do, in my opinion. My primary focus is to join with individuals”.

He acknowledges that he has no proper training or education in working with physical abuse survivors.

For those who have contacted us, Smile- Up organizes and provides funding for counseling. ” We are thinking of doing that indefinitely”, Higashiyama says.

Subsequent to discoveries in the BBC research, Kitagawa’s place in Chinese pop culture has shifted in the common perception.

Fumio Kishida, the prime minister, has been under increasing stress to change the laws governing physical abuse.

After numerous murder indictments in 2019 resulted in a nationwide uproar, the age of acceptance in Japan changed from 13 to 16.

In addition, more people have spoken out about the mistreatment they underwent in the wake of last year’s investigation into Kitawaga.

However, some victims of maltreatment feel that despite their stories, justice continues to be obscure.

Akimasa thinks it is crucial that individuals receive assistance in bringing their lives to a resolution. In his opinion, Johnny &amp, Associates ‘ recent manifestation has so far failed to deliver on this promise.

” I want them to take responsibility. This is the largest sexual assault case to date in Japan, in my opinion. We should n’t let it fade away as if it’s a temporary problem. As part of Chinese history, it’s crucial to keep a record.

    You can visit BBC Action Line if any of the issues raised in this history have had an impact on you.

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Is leadership succession on the cards for Malaysia’s PAS as chief Abdul Hadi’s ill health lingers?

KUALA TERENGGANU: Reports of Parti Islam Se- Malaysia ( PAS ) president Abdul Hadi Awang ‘s&nbsp, continuing ill health have triggered speculation over a potential successor for the top position of Malaysia’s Islamist party. &nbsp,

Two rising political figures, one a spiritual legacy candidate and the other a liberal professional, have emerged as the main contenders to replace the 76-year-old. &nbsp,

The variations between Dr. Muhammad Khalil, Dr. Muhammad Samsuri, and Dr. Muhammad Khalil, Dr. Muhammad Khalil’s brother, Dr. Muhammad Samsuri, as well as their opposing ideologies, which are representative of the two camps, have caught the attention of observers and raised questions about the party’s potential way, as well as whether any possible infighting may prevent a smooth transition. &nbsp,

According to social experts, CNA believes PAS might quickly consider succession. The stakes are high for whoever emerges as the party’s strongest place since it has won the most popular vote since its stellar performance in the 2023 state primaries.

It might be time for the party to start a leadership change in the framework of PAS with the concerns over the health of the party president, according to Associate Professor Yusri Ibrahim, main researcher at the think-tank Ilham Centre. &nbsp,

The issue is that at the moment, it is unclear who has the best leadership talent to get over, he added. &nbsp,

A CRITICAL POINT FOR SUCCESSION PLANNING

At a pivotal point in its history, PAS is. &nbsp,

Since it was founded in the 1950s, the group is probably at its strongest level. After winning the 2022 general election, it currently holds the most seats in the federal legislature, more than Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat ( PKR ) and the country’s historically dominant party, the United Malays National Organization ( UMNO ). &nbsp,

However, the opposition parties Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia ( PPP ) and PAS did not find enough seats and support to form the government, so they are now in the opposition.

According to research, PAS ‘ effect is expected to grow as the organization expands its reach in areas where Malay Muslims make up the majority while expanding its reach in urban areas, as evidenced by the state’s election of 2023, where it won 105 of the 127 seats it contested. &nbsp,

New reports of the latest leader’s continuing poor health have fueled speculation about who might lead the party through this time of potential growth. &nbsp,

Mr. Abdul Hadi experienced shortness of breath at the&nbsp, National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur, two years ago. &nbsp,

More recently, he was once more referred for an unknown disease in his household state of Terengganu in July 2023. His situation was already of enough issue at the time, so Dr. Muhammad Khalil wrote a statement urging all concerned people to pray for their father’s health.

On January 1st, Mr. Awang was once more taken into the National Heart Institute with an unnamed disease. He was apparently discharged in February. &nbsp, &nbsp,

The PAS government’s seats at the front of the opposition chair was glaringly clear when Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, who had just been installed, delivered his maiden speech in the lower house at the end of February. &nbsp,

The latest PAS commander was spotted in a chair at the PN’s elected lawmakers agreement in Kuala Lumpur in earlier March. The Marang Member of Parliament ( MP ) needed assistance for some of the program’s parts, including a photo shoot, according to local media reports.

POSSIBLE SUCCESSOR FROM ULAMA And PROFESSIONAL Party &nbsp,

Mr Abdul Hadi’s eldest brother, Dr Muhammad Khalil, is a member of the party’s core committee, a former children key, and a possible leader to his family’s place. &nbsp,

According to analysts, the 47-year-old has been reportedly vying for important roles and that there is interest in him. &nbsp,

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Commentary: In the happiness debate, sometimes the middle ground is where life feels fullest

WHERE DOES THE JOURNEY BEGIN?

So where do you begin? Start by questioning the “whys” of your life. What makes you accomplish what you do? Is it for love, security or fame? Why do you hunt the targets you’ve set? Are they really yours, or imposed by culture or relatives? It’s ok not to have all the solutions quickly. The key is to begin asking these questions, to initiate the process of home- reflection.

The next step is to slowly align your choices with your new understanding. Sometimes it’s changing jobs, starting a new hobby, or just spending more time with loved ones. Even minor changes in how you feel and perceive your planet can cause major changes, even if they are not important.

Get my knowledge, for example. As a health enthusiast looking to improve life, I completed a certification program in 2009 and worked part-time in open trainers. However, after more than a year, I realised that path was n’t the right fit for me. Had I not done but, however, I would never have known either approach.

Finding goal is not an overnight success. It’s a longstanding search, filled with testing and errors, joys and sorrows. And while the political benchmarks of achievement- the promotions, the accolades, the material possessions- may give temporary satisfaction, they’re never the best indicators of a deliberate life.

Contemplate Bill Gates ‘ perspectives:” Money has no value to me beyond a certain level. The only things it does are to build an organization and distribute solutions to the world’s poor.

Of program, your objective had no comprise solving world problems. However, being average does n’t limit your capacity to make significant contributions. It might be as simple as being your best caregiver you can be, bringing laughter to your friends, or spreading compassion in your community.

It’s about having a sense of accomplishment, no matter how little, when you wake up each morning with a sense of love and going to bed the next day with one.

In embracing your common, you may just get your amazing.

Tan Chin Hock is the creator of Holdinghands Studio and the author of It’s Ok to Get Ordinary: You Can Also Lead A Deliberate Life.

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Thais bombarded with most fraudulent messages

Thais bombarded with most fraudulent messages

Thais received the highest amount of false information in Asia in 2023, with over 58 million information received, according to the visitor identification software, Whoscall.

Whoscall recently published its 2023 review, which revealed that Thai people received a total of 79 million unscrupulous SMS messages and calls last month, an 18 % increase from 2022’s 66.7 million calls and messages.

Last year’s number comprises 20.8 million calls, a 22 % increase from the previous year’s 17 million calls, and 58.3 million messages, an increase of 17 % from 49.7 million messages in 2022.

Thais were the most vulnerable to false SMSs in Asia next year thanks to the 58.3 million information. According to the report, the emails typically contained dangerous artificial links and malware.

However, Asia’s overall pattern is the opposite of Thailand’s as the globe saw a complete of 347.3 million fraudulent calls and messages in 2023, a 14 % decrease from 405.3 million over the same time frame.

For the next month in a row, the figure dropped. According to the review, Thailand received the most deceptive SMSs per person on average, with each Thai people receiving an average of 20.33 SMSs.

The report, according to Thitinan Suttinarapun, advertising director for Southeast Asia at Gogolook, the firm behind Whoscall, shows that Thais are the most susceptible to the threats posed by those false information and calling in Asia.

Hucksters are changing their methods to make them more difficult, such as making claims that they are speaking to them for the benefit of a state agency or shipping company.

She advised Thai people to simply rely on trustworthy sources for their information. She also suggested using Whoscall because it has helpful features that aid people from avoiding scams.

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China challenges United States’ EV subsidies at WTO - Asia Times

China has complained to the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) after the US exempted buyers who bought electric vehicles ( EVs ) using Chinese batteries from its subsidy program. &nbsp, &nbsp, &nbsp,

Since January 1, EV buyers in the US have never been eligible for tax credits of US$ 3, 750 to US$ 7, 500 if essential minerals or other device components are manufactured from Chinese, Russian, North Korea or Persian companies, according to US President Joe Biden’s personal environment legislation, named the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. &nbsp,

As Russia, North Korea and Iran do not bulk develop EV batteries, the United States ‘ new rules obviously targeted Chinese companies only. &nbsp,

According to an unknown representative for the Foreign Commerce Ministry, the US “formulated unfair payment plans for new energy cars and excluded products made by other WTO members like China from its payment scheme” according to a statement released on Tuesday.

According to the spokesperson,” Such a move has seriously distorted fair competition, seriously disrupted the global supply chain of new energy vehicles and violated WTO’s national treatment and most favored nation treatment principles.” China is” strongly opposed to it.”

The spokesperson urged the US to abide by WTO regulations, respect the global EV sector’s development trend, and promptly correct discriminatory practices.

China’s WTO complaint was filed after the Chinese Foreign Ministry criticized western nations on March 22 for supporting protectionism and imposing trade restrictions in the name of” fair competition” and “national security.”

” What they protect are their underdeveloped industries, what they lose is their future development and what they reap is lose- lose”, Lin Jian, a spokesperson of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a regular media briefing last week. The long-term effects of the changes to their industries and customers will be undermined, as will the global transition to a green economy and the fight against climate change.

” The popularity of Chinese EVs relies on our technological innovation and superb quality in the midst of global competition, rather than subsidies”, Lin said. &nbsp,

He added that China has removed all restrictions on foreign investment in manufacturing and is still open to international car manufacturers, who can fully participate in the profits of China’s large market. He claimed that Tesla sold over 600,000 cars in China last year, while Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volkswagen remain household names.

Anti- subsidy probe

The European Union announced in September that a 13-month investigation would look into whether government subsidies have helped Chinese electric car manufacturers gain market share in recent years. &nbsp,

A KPMG report said that in 2022 the top three European destinations for China’s EVs were Belgium ( 198, 000 units ), the United Kingdom ( 109, 000 units ) and Slovenia ( 47, 000 units ). &nbsp,

Some Chinese experts predicted that after the investigation, the EU will likely impose additional tariffs on imported Chinese EVs. They claimed that Chinese producers of electric vehicles and batteries can try to sell components, set up factories overseas, and collaborate with foreign companies to avoid extra tariffs. &nbsp,

Currently, tariffs on Chinese EVs are set at 10 % in Europe and a whopping 27.5 % in the US. A 2.5 % usual tariff applies to imported goods, and an additional 25 % tariff was imposed during the Trump era. &nbsp, &nbsp,

A Chinese writer using the pen name” Xiao Ding” claims in an article published in January that” the additional 25 % tariff policy has seriously disrupted Chinese EV makers ‘ development plan in the US.” The additional tariff” sents a strong message to potential buyers and distributors that Chinese EVs are not welcomed in the US,” the statement reads.

Fortunately, he says, although Chinese EVs makers failed to grow in the US markets, they have so far received strong market responses in Europe and Southeast Asia.

He claims that while the US may be able to benefit from its protectionist policies in the short term, the global globalization trend will be irreversible over the long term. He advises American automakers to collaborate with Chinese manufacturers if they want to expand their businesses overseas. &nbsp,

However, the US is attempting to persuade its allies to follow suit and will tighten its sanctions against Chinese EV manufacturers. &nbsp,

Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president, stated in a press conference on March 16 that he would impose 100 % tariffs on Chinese cars made in Mexico if he wins the election in November. &nbsp,

The Protecting American Autoworkers from China Act, which would increase the base tariff rate of all imported Chinese vehicles to 12 %, would be the result of a total tariff of 125 %. &nbsp,

‘ Trojan horse ‘

The Biden administration announced last month that it would look into Chinese-made smart cars that can collect sensitive data on US roads. Biden claimed that China’s vehicles could encircle the US market, posing a threat to US national security. &nbsp,

Prior to this, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo stated in January that the country should consider whether or not it wants to have access to all the data collected by electric and autonomous vehicles.

She claimed that the details could include the vehicle’s driver, its location, and its surroundings. &nbsp,

Jim Saker, president of the Institute of the Motor Industry, told lawmakers in the United Kingdom on March 22 that China’s EVs flooding into Britain could be” the most effective Trojan Horse” at the Chinese Communist Party’s disposal. &nbsp,

He claimed that Beijing could remotely halt Chinese-made electric vehicles and bring Britain’s road traffic to a halt. He claimed that the UK is also in danger of being significantly compromised by the possibility of China stealing drivers ‘ information. &nbsp,

Beijing had complained that the US and the UK overreach out with regard to economic and trade issues.

Read: US calls Chinese EVs a possible security threat

Read: Trump’s tariffs to hurt Chinese automakers

Follow Jeff Pao on Twitter at&nbsp, @jeffpao3

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Connecting Indian cosmology, Western psychology and AI - Asia Times

” AI will handle everything that people are currently doing, including collecting, analyzing, and processing data.” Ten years from now, consciousness ( chitta ) will be valued over knowledge. This is the time people people can concentrate on awareness”.

– American metaphysical professor Sadhguru

The West has been captivated by the Indian view and Vedic-inspired faith for well over a decade. American science was a fascination for the inventors of quantum mechanics, and in recent years millions of people have embraced it through yoga and meditation.

American faith, a synthesis of Eastern philosophy and American thought, was crucial to the development of the stage development theory of Ken Wilber and the development of New Age. In Wilber’s growth model, American concepts and Sanskrit terms are used for the higher mental stages.

Curiously, much of the writing on the Indian part in the consciousness- increasing practices developed in the West ignore the Hindu concept of mind, Antahkarana ( the four different parts of the mind ), and Chidākāśa, translated as” informed space” or” consciousness field”.

Chidka is a compound word that combines the concepts of Akasha, the intangible and invisible material of the cosmos, and the ether, which is similar to what is thought of in American culture. Einstein’s Relativity Theory, according to the quantum mechanics group, allegedly explained away the solvent. The American ages would say that Akasha is the medium through which access to the most pure reality is possible.

Antahkarana can also provide insight into how unnatural knowledge developed. As we may see, AI techniques perform just two of the four elements of Antahkarana. It explains why AI can simply create awareness and cannot be aware.

Antahkarana

Some 3, 000 years ago, Indian ( Vedic ) sages created the first “map” of the human mind. They identified four different elements of the head: personality, imagination, head and storage, and called it Antahkarana. &nbsp,

The human brain was attempted by a number of first civilizations. Spiritual philosophies were woven into Sumerian beliefs regarding the human mind. They attributed psychological events to the presence of deities and ghosts.

Egyptians used the notion of the “ka” ( spirit ) and the “ba” ( personality ) to understand the human psyche. In Greece, Aristotle pondered the nature of the mind, knowledge and perception. His research was significant in afterward Western investigations into psychology.

The primary internally consistent image of the human brain is attributed to the American concept of the term” Antahkarana.” The four distinct characteristics it identified each have their own distinct roles.

– Manas ( Mind ) — the lower, rational part of the mind that connects with the external world, the seat of desire and the governor of sensory and motor organs.

– Ahaṃkāra ( Ego ) — identifies the self ( Atman, or soul ) with the body as” I”. Although egos can be used to power accomplishments, they can also be used to power confidence, jealousy, and hatred.

– Buddhi ( Intellect ) — the decision- making part of the mind able to discern the world logically.

– Chitta ( Memory ) —the part that stores impressions, memories and experiences, and the gateway to Chidākāśa, or pure awareness.

Pear. 1 – One of several views of Antahkarana

Chitta talks with remembering and forgetting in computers, which are close to random access memory or RAM. It is shaped by our lifestyle, culture and education, and records for social and cultural variations between people and cultures.

By transcending personality and storage, we become aware of Chidākāśa–” aware area” or” consciousness industry” in which all experiences unfold. The word Chidākāśa is derived from two Sanskrit terms: Chit, which means cognition or attention, and Akasha, which refers to storage or solvent. More on Chidākāśa below.

Celestial integration

In the late 19th century, Indian science, religion, and notions of perception spread to the West, first through Theosophy, the first artificial religion. Its founder, Madam Helena Blavatsky, proposed the integration of Asian and Western philosophical- religious thought to create a “grand religious synthesis”.

In her writing, Madam Blavatsky covered Antahkarana. In her book” The Voice of the Silence” ( 1889 ) she wrote:” Antaskarana]sic ] is the lower Manas, the Path of communication or communion between the personality and the higher Manas or human Soul. At death, it is destroyed as a Path or medium of communication, and its remains survive in a form as the Kamarupa — the’ shell.'”

In the 1920s, the Indian worldview drew the attention of the pioneers of quantum physics, among them Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr and Erwin Schrödinger. They observed that Indian cosmology anticipated quantum physics ‘ findings, including the notion that the observer and the observer are connected to the same realm and cannot be separated.

In the Vedic classic Upanishads, Brahman is the universal self or the ultimate singular reality. The Atman is the individual’s inner self, what some would call the soul. The Brahman and the Atman are identical, according to a fundamental principle of the Upanishads, tat tvam asi, which states that” You are the universe.”

Indian culture was a significant contributor to the development of the 1960s and the New Age era that came into existence in the 1970s. The American philosopher Ken Wilber, who would become the pivotal figure in the Integral Movement, was a key figure in the latter. Wilber integrated Eastern, especially Indian, spirituality with Western psychology developed by Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung and others.

Fig 2. – One of various interpretations of Ken Wilber’s Integral stage model

In 1977, at the age of 28, Wilber published his landmark book,” The Spectrum of Consciousness”. In the opening chapter, Wilber compared consciousness with the electromagnetic spectrum. He explained that electromagnetic radiation consists of a spectrum of energy waves with various frequencies, wavelengths, and energies. He writes:

” If, for the moment, we do consider consciousness as a spectrum, then we might expect that the different investigators of consciousness, especially those commonly termed’ Eastern’ and ‘ Western’, because they are using different instruments of language, methodology, and logic, would ‘ plug in’ at different bands or vibratory levels of the spectrum of consciousness, just as the early radiation scientists plugged in at different bands of the electromagnetic spectrum”.

The influential Integral Theory was the launching point for Wilber’s influential Integral Theory, which is typically defined as” a comprehensive framework that seeks to integrate multiple perspectives and disciplines understanding complex phenomena by taking into account the interrelations and interactions between individual, collective, and cultural dimensions.”

Wilber persuaded his readers that although spirituality and psychology can coexist and be enriching, it can be harmful to confuse them. He wryly states,” My dear Sir, you suffer from basic metaphysical anxiety because you do n’t realize that you are fundamentally one with God.”

Enter AI

Although AI and Antahkarana may seem like strange bedfellows, they can provide insight into what is unquestionably a turning point in human history. AI will gradually relieve people of their daily and repetitive mental labor. AI can carry out any human task that can be expressed mathematically. Given time, AI will change our view of work forever. &nbsp,

Let’s start by stating that AI is a misunderstanding of the term” Boolean logic system,” which it actually is. AI is based on its immediate predecessor, cybernetics, the first comprehensive theory for binary ( as opposed to analog ) computing developed in the 1940s.

Both cybernetics and AI use Boolean classes and binary logic: true/false, yes/no, if/then, etc. Moreover, they both rely on the concept of feedback: If X happens, then do Y or Z, or Y and Z.

Fig. 3 – Boolean classes and three of it operators

The autopilot on an airplane is a textbook illustration of a cybernetic system. Within the parameters set by the aircraft’s crew, the autopilot steers the aircraft from A to B.

The autopilot will react if it discovers any discrepancies between the aircraft’s actual position and its flight plan. The autopilot may initiate a course correction if the airliner deviates from its planned flight path as a result of strong side winds. If it encounters strong headwinds, the autopilot may rev up the engines to stay on schedule.

The Cybernetics method consists of three steps: Plan, Quantify, Steer. Steer uses the feedback system to ensure that the system stays on course while the plan specifies the goal or destination, Quantify specifies the necessary resources to execute the Plan, and Steer uses the feedback system to ensure that the system stays on course.

In that it can be programmed to learn from its mistakes, artificial intelligence differs from cybernetics. Among others, it can be designed to make on- the- fly adjustments in real time to improve its performance. &nbsp,

An AI system consists of an algorithm ( computation function ) that has access to databases ( memory ). All AI systems are built for a specific task or function, such as navigating a car, analyzing medical X-rays, or responding to general inquiries ( the latter being large language models like ChatGPT ).

Intellect and memory make up the other four components of the Antahkarana, making up AI systems. It needs intellect for computation and it needs ( access to ) “memories” – i. e. databases. The other two parts, ego and mind, are the domain of the designers of the system.

Fig. 4 – AI can take over two of the four faculties of Antahkarana

Experts on artificial intelligence ( AI ) claim that AI will gradually outperform humans in most tasks that only necessitate routine or repetitive mental labor, but they are correct when they say so. AI will eventually replace white collar workers and force society to reevaluate itself.

Toward Chidākāśa

We saw above that Chidākāśa refers to the” conscious space” or” consciousness field” within which all experiences occur, and that Chidākāśa is a compound word that combines two Sanskrit words: Chit, meaning consciousness or awareness, and Akasha, which refers to space or ether.

Akasha is crucial to understanding Chidākāśa. The ether is the closest thing to the Western equivalent. The Chinese speak of qi ( ch’i ). In the West, Newton and James Clerk Maxwell continued to speculate about the ether after Aristotle.

Maxwell appealed to the mechanical idea of an electromagnetic ether in 1861 by proposing a unified theory of electricity, magnetism, and optics. Scientists assumed that radio waves would travel through the ether until the early 20th century.

The discovery of Einstein’s Relativity Theory in the early 20th century almost ended the debate over the ether. Attempts to detect the ether with scientific instruments failed in the late 19th century. The quantum physics community virtually outlawed discussions about the ether from the scientific discourse after the 1920s. &nbsp,

Nikola Tesla, who developed his own unique ether theory in the late 19th century, was one of the few scientists to object to the group-think scientism about the ether and Einstein’s Relativity Theory. Tesla questioned the notion of” curved space” that was implied by Einstein’s Relativity Theory. &nbsp,

” I hold that space cannot be curved, for the simple reason that it can have no properties”, he wrote. ” It might as well be said that God has properties. He has not, but only attributes, and these are of our own making”.

Notably, Einstein was sympathetic to Tesla’s argument. In a lecture he gave in Leiden, in 1919, he pointed out that Relativity does n’t require the ether, but it does n’t preclude its existence. Einstein once said,” To reject the ether is ultimately to assume that empty space has no physical qualities whatsoever.”

Tesla was convinced that the quantum physics community, by abandoning the ether, threw out the baby with the bathwater. Like the ancients, he considered the ether as the substrate of all existence.

In his article,” Man’s Greatest Achievement”, written in 1930, Tesla summarized his contrarian views for posterity. Remarkably, he referred to Indian cosmology to make his point.

” All perceptible matter comes from a primary substance, or tenuity beyond conception, filling all space, the akasha or luminiferous ether, which is acted upon by the life- giving Prana or creative force, calling into existence, in never- ending cycles all things and phenomena”.

Sadhguru

Indian yogi Jaggi Vasudev Sadhguru, one of the most renowned spiritual teachers in the world today, completes the third chapter of our story. Sadhguru, founder of the globally active Isha Foundation, is a frequent speaker at conferences on AI, neurology and psychology. More than a billion views of his social media speeches have been recorded.

Sadhguru frequently mentions that AI represents a turning point for humanity in his talks. He explains that the majority of the work we do today is based on the knowledge we acquire through education and training, which makes us accountants, doctors, or engineers. This database of knowledge, stored in our memory, is at risk of gradually being devalued.

Sadhguru says:” In the 21st century, AI will take away the power of our professional knowledge, just like power tools took away the power of our muscles in the 20th century. Everything that humans are doing now – gathering, analyzing, and processing data – will be done by AI. Ten years from now, consciousness ( chitta ) will be valued over knowledge. This is the time human beings can focus on consciousness”.

Sadhguru’s timeframe of ten years may be off by a few years, but we can be certain that the AI- driven, post- work era will have major economic, social and psychological implications. AI will assist us in getting the right answers as well as helping us to ask the right questions.

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